In yet another shout out to his BFF, John McCain, Pawlenty has vetoed the minimum wage increase passed by the House and the Senate. Despite compromises made by the DFL controlled legislature to reduce the raise in the minimum wage and remove language that would index a raise to inflation, Pawlenty continues to nitpick in the last way he can by demanding that those getting tips live on a paupers wage to compensate for the tips that they may or may not receive.

This message of "Let them eat cake" to those people in the state that are trying to live on rock bottom wages is truly disheartening. Given that the federal poverty level is set at $22,200 for a family of four, Pawlenty has indicated that the current minimum wage with its resulting $13,000 per year is just fine for the people of Minnesota. Perhaps he is as proud of our "workingest" citizens as 6th District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.

I offer this letter to Mr. Pawlenty:

Dear Governor Pawlenty,

While I understand you have an ambition to move beyond the state of Minnesota and become the losing Vice-Presidential candidate in 2008, we here in the state have to continue living and working here. We would greatly appreciate it if you would stop practicing the failed principles of ultra-conservatism and allow us to have common sense solutions to the problems we are facing. It may come as a surprise to you, but you are not the King of Minnesota and therefore are not going to get your way on everything you would like. Additionally, I hope that this veto does not come on the heels of pent up "frustration" you are feeling. We would hate to think that this frustration coupled with your aspiration to be John McCain's BFF is causing you to screw the people of your state.

Political Muse

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